Learning Assistance
What is it?
Who is it for?
Types of Support
Learning Assistance at School Transition
What is it?
The Learning Assistance Program provides supplementary teaching points to schools (Yrs K-10) to support students with literacy and numeracy needs to achieve better outcomes in mainstream schooling. Early intervention is a basic principle of the program. Reading Recovery is one early intervention strategy supported by the program. Student support may be achieved through differentiation of the curriculum or withdrawal programs focusing on the development of literacy and numeracy skills of students.
Who is it for?
The focus of Learning Assistance focuses on students with literacy and numeracy learning difficulties. Students may have specific learning difficulties, or have gaps in their knowledge or skills. The Learning Assistance Program provides resources in the form of teaching points. Points are allocated using a formula based on the ACT Assessment Program and enrolments.
Types of Support
Learning Assistance programs within schools may be delivered through differentiated curriculum or streamed classes with a maximum size of 16 (in high schools), small group withdrawal and/or individual tuition, resource rooms, in-class support and peer tutoring.
Through professional development programs and regular network meetings, there is support for teachers in seeking ways to make curriculum content, resources and teaching strategies appropriate to the needs of the students.
Within schools, Learning Assistance and Reading Recovery teachers provide this advice, support, training and in-service programs to assist classroom teachers.
Learning Assistance Coordinators from each school are invited each term to attend the Learning Assistance Network meetings, held at Centre for Teaching and learning, Stirling. These sessions discuss issues related to administration of learning assistance programs as well as offering valuable professional development.
For more information, please contact the Literacy and Numeracy Section on
(02) 6205 8291 or email.
Learning Assistance at School Transition
It is important to support students' transition from primary school to high school with good communication between high schools and feeder primary schools. Many teachers in high schools and their feeder primary schools meet regularly to discuss teaching strategies, effective Learning Assistance models and profiles of students as they move from primary school to high school.
For more information, please contact the Literacy and Numeracy Section on
(02) 6205 8291 or email.
